Political adviser calls for greater competitiveness in Shanghai’s higher education sector

Shanghai should improve the global competitiveness of its higher education sector, said a political adviser at the ongoing annual session of the Shanghai Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference.

Gu Xianglin, deputy director of the Shanghai Committee of The China Democratic League, pointed out the supply of quality education resources, openness and scientific innovation are three aspects of Shanghai's higher education sector that should be improved so that it can be compared with those in major cities such as London, Tokyo and New York.

At the conference, Gu, who is also the vice president of Tongji University, suggested that universities and colleges in Shanghai cooperate with higher education institutions in other cities within the Yangtze River Delta region to cultivate talent, according to a report by local news portal eastday.com.

This cooperation would include Shanghai universities opening branches in neighboring cities, as well as constructing and sharing teaching and employment bases with universities in the region.

The city should also encourage the construction of high-level private educational institutions specialized in medicine, science and cultural innovation.

Gu added that Shanghai should initiate the establishment of an alliance with global higher education institutions that can gather academic resources from around the world. This alliance would then foster more innovative and entrepreneurial foreign institutions that could launch cooperation projects with universities in Shanghai.

A global joint lab for all top universities across the world could also be established in the Yangtze River Delta region to develop universities into global research and innovation centers, said Gu.

There should be measures put in place to further develop basic research and advanced disciplines in order to build more international education platforms and scientific research teams.

Gu suggested that the city set up a university evaluation system that revolves around innovation ability and develop a network between Shanghai universities and leading startups in the region to enhance the research, training and industrialization of various subjects.